Ward-Prowse commits to Southampton

James Ward-Prowse has been rewarded with a new five-year contract after breaking into Southampton's starting line-up this season.

Ward-Prowse, 18, has played 10 games in Saints' midfield so far this season, with his performances impressing Nigel Adkins and the club's hierarchy enough to earn him a new deal.

A product of the club's academy, Southampton have acted quickly to protect their investment after losing the services of fellow promising graduates Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the past.

"I'm absolutely delighted," Ward-Prowse told the club's official website. "It was nice that we got the win on Saturday, and it's nice to put pen-to-paper. I can kick on from here.

"It's been an absolute whirlwind to go from playing under-18 football against lower-league teams to playing against the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United.

"That's been my dream since I was a young kid, so to get to that stage is fantastic. My short-term aim now is to get back into the team. There's a lot of competition for places now Corky (Jack Cork) is back because he's done well in the last two games."